A Reflection on Shadows
by FoxesRavensAndStories
Summary: Years after the events of Persona 4, their children have their own battles to face and their own enemy to overcome. Souji's family contemplates the past and their future under these circumstances. A "Dance of the Cards" side fic for DragonLacrima. Can be read by itself, however.
This is a Persona 4 story, but it takes place in the future, when the cast all have grown up and most have had kids. There is another altercation going down that the new generation has to deal with and it, of course, comes with its own unique set of problems.

This is actually a side story to the fanfic "Dance of the Cards" by DragonLacrima. It's a great story you should check out, the premise of it being mentioned above. I'm playing around with them because she likes it when I do. Love ya, G~

Souji and Yukiko's children are Himeko, the older sister and Takahito, the younger brother.

Enjoy!

* * *

Himeko is tired. Things had been hectic these days, with school and with those… _shadows_. She was stressed and exhausted so often she wondered if it was becoming her default state.

But still…

She watched as her father gave her mother a small bouquet of forget-me-nots.

Souji and Yukiko had survived their trial – the murders and the shadows. They didn't speak much of it but Himeko was coming to understand more and more how it must have affected her parents and their group of friends.

Yukiko held the bouquet to her chest and stood on her tip-toes to give Souji a little peck.

Himeko would normally tease them, saying that parents kissing was super gross, but she was too absorbed in her thoughts. She could only imagine them trying to be together under the difficult circumstances of the incident in Inaba years ago.

What were they like? Were they as cute together then as they are now?

They're holding hands, now, Yukiko leading Souji to the kitchen, presumably to get a vase for the flowers.

She leaves the room as well, but goes in the opposite direction into the next room. She looks over at Takahito, her younger brother taking a nap on the sofa in the family room. He'd been taking naps more recently, a habit he fell into when he was stressed.

Himeko kneeled down next to him, hesitant to touch, so she just stared at his face, taking in the lines and shadows under his eyes.

If only he had been able to avoid getting into this mess.

Her head falls onto the cushion and she closes her eyes, just taking in the quiet moment.

* * *

"Souji, do you think they'll be alright?"

Said man takes the vase his wife requested from the top of the cupboards and sets it down on the counter in front of her. He doesn't say anything for a long moment, but Yukiko doesn't rush him, instead starting to arrange the forget-me-nots in the vase.

"No, not really."

She pauses, her heart skipping, but she waits for him to expound.

Souji sighs, looking out the window, "After all, were we 'alright' after the events with Adachi?"

Yukiko fiddles with the stem of one of the flowers, before bringing the flower to her nose and taking in the scent.

Souji turns and begins to get out the items needed for tea.

"I suppose we weren't." Yukiko continues her flower arranging, "But we did come out better for it."

Souji nods, "And so will they."

He puts the filled kettle onto the stove.

"For better or for worse."

* * *

Souji looks around the table at his family. Yukiko is a little sad from their conversation, but she will be fine, he knows.

He doesn't let her know just how worried he is for their children.

He can see where this is going, after all. He was the "Leader," the one in charge of the group, and thus the one at the head of everything.

He still remembers the look in Adachi's eyes.

A look he can remember seeing in the mirror in his darkest moments.

This confrontation his children are heading towards… he knows. It can go many ways, good and bad. But the ending he sees is a bad one.

And he _fears_.

He can only pray that the events end up leading to a good ending, but that is only up to his children and their friends.

This isn't really something he can interfere in – Margaret made sure he knew this. So he gives advice, he's _there_ , because that's all he really can be.

His chopsticks hover over the meal Yukiko cooked for them all. He stares unseeingly at the portion of mackerel in front of him.

He wonders.

He eats, and he thinks of shadows and their teeth.

* * *

Yukiko tucks Takahito in that night, disregarding all his protests and pulling the mother card until he gives in.

She pulls the blankets up around him, making sure he's comfortable. Once he is, she stands there for a bit longer, ending up reaching out to brush his hair back in a mimicry of the way she did when he was a young child and needed comfort.

Takahito doesn't say anything, his eyes closed and body relaxed.

At least, it looks like he's relaxed, but she can't be sure.

And it only makes her heart break a bit more.

Leaning down to brush a kiss against his forehead, she whispers a blessing of good dreams. Because she knows of the nightmares.

She remembers them, in actuality.

She remembers the nightmares – the shadows consuming her, the palace and the emptiness. Her shadow. That laugh…

The door closes softly, sliding closed easily.

Her hand falls from the door and she stands there, staring at the wood hiding her son from her eyes. She almost opens it again, just to make sure he's still there, but-

She steps back and manages to turn away.

* * *

Takahito stares out the window in his room, curled up next to it on top of his desk. He tried to go to sleep after Mom tucked him in, but… he hadn't been sleeping at night much recently. Only able to doze with the light of the sun on his face.

Because if he could see the light, he didn't have to focus on the shadows.

He stares at the moon, memorizing the waning crescent and fearing the coming nights of its absence.

These hours of the night and early morning are spent in constant thought. Wondering, fearing, and strategizing.

Tonight is a night of reflection.

He wishes his parents could help them more. He doesn't quite understand why they have to deal with this when his parents and their friends are experienced in such things already. Why can't they deal with it?

He regrets thinking that, but he can't rid himself of the thought.

Perhaps one day he'll understand.

If he survives this.

His head falls against the window and his gaze falls to the streetlights and the flickering shadows surrounding their sphere of light.

He feels the shadows close in around him and he curls up into himself.

Takahito knows he's imagining it, but he also knows…

He knows that the shadows are real.

In the night, a street lamp goes out.

The light evaporates, consumed immediately by shadow.

* * *

Fin.


End file.
